Parasites in the United
States --
Not Just a Third World Problem
by Ann Louise Gittleman, M.S.; Let's Live, August 1995
IF YOU THINK PARASITES ARE A PROBLEM only in developing countries or the
tropics, then you are in for some shocking news. The rate of parasitic-related
disorders in the United States is skyrocketing. An astounding one out of six
people will test positive for parasites. A recent Dateline NBC report revealed
the presence of cryptosporidium cysts in New York City's municipal water supply.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, cryptosporidium is currently
the leading cause of waterborne illness in the United States. This microscopic
organism was the cause of the Milwaukee contamination in which 400,000 people
came down with severe stomach ailments and diarrhea and one died.
Cryptosporidium has caused problems in other states as well, including Georgia,
Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Texas.
Once not even seen as a disease-causing agent in humans, cryptosporidium is now
considered a serious health threat, particularly for the immune-suppressed
individuals (e.g., those with HIV) where a few organisms can cause death.
Healthy individuals can tolerate up to 1,000 organisms before becoming ill.
Cryptosporidium is carried by young livestock. Sewage runoff washes the eggs or
cysts into rivers and lakes, where most municipalities get their water. The cyst
are not only hard to detect with the usual test, but they are also not killed by
standard chlorine dosages.
WHAT EXACTLY IS A PARASITE?
A parasite is technically an organism that is receiving food and shelter at the
expense of another organism without giving anything in return. On the contrary,
parasites often irritate the gut, become tissue-invasive: create arthritic-type
aches and pains; obstruct the gastrointestinal tract; and sap energy. Today in
America, parasites seem like a foreign, Third World concern, so most physicians
do not suspect or search for them.
The symptoms often mimic more familiar disease like the flu. Parasites are often
the unsuspected cause behind many ailments (e.g., chronic fatigue, irritable
bowel syndrome, allergies, malabsorption, fibromyalgia and even some types of
cancer).
The important element of diagnosis is to recognize the signs of parasite-based
illness. One of the easiest ways for health practitioners is to ask patients for
detailed travel histories. Many times, tripes to foreign countries provide
clear-cut clues to illness.
BE AWARE OF RISK FACTORS:
The factors behind parasites' growing prevalence include the following seemingly
unrelated factors unique to the late 20th century.
Rise in international travel: The more American tourist travel to remote areas
of the world like Africa, Asia, Mexico and South America, the more they are
exposed to parasitic microorganisms.
Contaminated water: One of the greatest parasitic hazards is contaminated water
not only abroad, but also in the United States. Unlike bacteria, the two most
prevalent waterborne parasites in America--giardia and cryptosporidium--are not
even killed by chlorination.
Day-care centers: Day-care centers provide a ready environment for transmission
of parasitic infection and have been referred to as "the open sewers of the 20th
century."
Immigrants: Many refugees and immigrants who enter the United States come from
parasites-ridden areas and may be carriers of these microorganisms. They
frequently work in restaurants or as housekeepers or baby sitters and
unknowingly spread parasites to other through their work.
Exotic foods: The fascination with and increasing consumption of foreign foods
have led to an increased incidence of parasites in America. Exotic foods that
are prepared raw or undercooked (i.e.,ceviche, Dutch herring, sashimi, steak
tartare and sushi) pose a significant parasite risk.
Household pets: Pets are host to many parasites and are unexpected spreaders of
disease. Of 240 infectious diseases transmitted to humans from animals, 65 are
spread by dogs and 39 cats. Since 110 million dogs and cats live in American
household, U.S. citizens experience significant exposure to many diseases from
these animals
Antibiotic use: When the intestinal system is in healthy balance, there is less
opportunity for parasitic infestation. However, antibiotics kill good and bad
bacteria indiscriminately and therefore, upset the natural ecology of the
gastrointestinal tract and vagina, setting the state for infection.
Spread of Aids: Parasites may be a cofactor in the development of AIDS. Also,
the incidence of many unusual parasitic diseases has increased as a result of
the AIDS epidemic.
HOW TO DETECT PARASITES:
The sheer numbers of factors of exposure to parasites has led to a greater
likelihood of infection. If a parasite contraction is suspected, the best course
of action is to find a qualified health practitioner who specializes in
diagnosing and treating this frequently overlooked condition.
DIET, HCI, HERBS HELP ELIMINATE PARASITES:
Parasites flourish on sugar so it is important to eliminate this parasite
promoter and immune suppressor in all forms from the diet. This means not only
avoiding sweets and desserts, but also avoiding excessive amounts of natural
sugars like fruit and fruit juices.
Other helpful diet strategies when trying to eradicate parasites include
eliminating dairy products and avoiding gluten-containing grains, like wheat,
rye, oats and barley. These foods commonly cause further irritation of the
intestinal tract.
Also, heavy intake of raw fruits and vegetables should be curtailed and cold or
iced foods and drinks should be avoided. These foods cause the intestine to
contract, thereby holding in toxins rather than releasing them. For the
therapeutic parasite control diet, people should cook most fruits and vegetables
so they will be more easily digested and more soothing to the intestinal tract.
Another powerful aid to in keeping the body parasite-free is adequate hydrochloric
acid (PDA). Many individuals lose the ability to produce HCI because of strict
vegetarian diets and age. After age 450, many people do not secrete enough HCI.
Also, individuals with type A blood seem to be more genetically prone to achlorhydria. Generally speaking, at least two HCI tablets or capsules per meal
is needed, but sometimes twice as much may be necessary.
Herbs like Black Walnut,
Garlic and
Artemisia Combination like mugwort and wormwood are particularly effective
against the larger parasites or worms to eliminate microscopic parasites
(protozoa) from the system, many individuals receive excellent results when
using grapefruit seed extract and enzymes like bromelains, papain and protease
found in Food Enzymes.
STRONG IMMUNE SYSTEM IS BEST DEFENSE:
The best prevention against parasites is a strong, healthy immune system. Any
weakness in the defense system is an open invitation to parasite invasion.
But, maintaining a strong defense system amid all the hazards of immunity in
20th century America isn't always easy and it's essential to fortify the troops.
One of the best ways to do this is to eat foods rich in
Vitamins C and
Carotenoid Blend and the minerals
Vitamin E w/Selenium and
Zinc. This builds a good first line of
defense against parasitic infection.
Additional supplementation with these nutrient-rich foods as well as with herbs
like astragalus, echinacea and ginseng adds extra insurance for a healthy immune
system. Eating a diet full of a variety of whole, unprocessed foods that are
high in fiber and free of chemicals whenever possible also helps lessen the
likelihood of developing parasites by encouraging healthy elimination.
The parasite problem in the United States today is a silent epidemic. Few people
talk about parasites or believe these pathogenic microorganisms could ever
infect them even through parasitic outbreaks are occurring with increasing
frequency and devastating consequences through-out the country.
Fortunately, there are ways to fight this epidemic. First, people need to
develop heightened awareness about parasite infection and transmission. They
also need to learn about natural remedies that can help the body ward off
parasitic diseases.
It's important to remember that parasites cannot infect a healthy body if the
environment isn't conductive to them. Andreas Marx, a doctor of Oriental
medicine, said it best when he linked disease to "an imbalance of the body's
terrain (ph, oxidation factor and mineral balance)."
Parasites won't be a problem if people stay healthy by nourishing their bodies
with healthy food; supplementing their diets with immune-enhancing vitamins,
minerals and herbs, and, using common sense to eliminate parasite risk factors
from the environment.
HOW TO PREVENT PARASITES
*Boil your tap water at least 20 minutes.
*Use a home filter that removes organisms as small as 0.5 micron in size.
*Skip the salad bar.
*Do not eat raw, rare or undercooked red meat, fish and NO pork.
*Scrub under you fingernails where cyst can lodge.
*While traveling, choose well-cooked or peeled fruit and vegetables.
*Use a portable water filter for traveling and camping.
*Cook with a lot of garlic, onion, sage, cloves and fennel, which eliminate
parasites naturally.
*Keep away from sugar, since parasites flourish on it.
PARASITES AND WORMS:
Parasites and worms are scavengers. They are organisms that live within, upon or
at the expense of another organism, known as the host, without contributing to
the survival of the host.
Parasites take on the vibration of the host they invade. They are therefore very
hard to detect. They can be seen in the eyes by a trained Iridologist. Parasites
will show as radii solaris lines (spokes like the spokes of a wheel that show
upon the iris when they are present).
Parasites and worms feed off toxins and waste materials of the body. If the body
is clean then the scavengers have nothing to live on. The danger of having them
in the body is that their waste is extremely poisonous to us. Many parasites
produce toxic substances harmful to the host. Other parasites act as
foreign-body irritants in the tissues of the host and call forth a chronic
inflammatory reaction. Some worms rob the host of serious amounts of blood and
large tapeworms depriving it of digest food.
Parasites vary in their effect on their host. Sometimes they seem to be
harmless. The parasites considered dangerous are called "pathogens." The
parasite which causes malarial fevers is an example of this. Many protozoans
(one celled animals) are parasites, such as a certain type of amoeba which can
destroy the lining of the intestines of humans. They produce a painful and
serious disease called "amoebic dysentery." It can cause the body to become
dehydrated and eventually cause bleeding and ulceration in the bowel.
Flatworms and roundworms are parasites that can cause serious damage and can
often kill their hosts. There is one type of flatworm called "fluke" which lives
and grows quite large in the intestines, liver, lungs or blood of animals and
man. The tapeworm is another parasite which matures in the intestines, attaching
itself to the intestinal wall with what appears to be suckers or hooks. The
tapeworm absorbs digested foods from its host, but the hookworm is the most
harmful. It lives in the intestines and it feeds on the blood of the host.
Some form of external skin parasites are ticks and mites. The skin is irritated
by such bites, but the spread of disease is far more serious than the bite.
Ticks are blamed for spreading Rocky Mountain spotted fever, yellow fever,
African sleeping sickness and typhus fever.
Trichinosis is a disease from eating infected or undercooked pork. The trichina
is a tiny worm that infects pigs. The larvae, after burrowing into the
intestinal wall of the pig, then enters its blood vessels. The blood carries the
larvae on to the muscles where these tiny worms spread into the muscle fiber and
live. Then when humans eat the pork, the cycle begins again in the human body.
Symptoms of trichinosis are headaches, fever, sore muscles, swollen eyes, and
even painful breathing. These symptoms are similar, to other diseases so people
do not even realize that they could have internal worms.
Salmonella is a microscopic organism, which can spread throughout the body, that
a person becomes acutely sick with what is commonly called cholera. It is felt
that many people today have the intermittent fever of cholera, but are given
antibiotics and never told what their problem has been.
Bacteria are one-celled organisms. There are three main types of bacteria: 1.
Bacilli is rood-shaped, often grows in long chains, 2. Cocci is spherical and
grows in grape-like clusters and 3. Spirilla is spirally curved.
Bacteria is involved in contagious disease such as diphtheria, chicken pox,
measles, mumps, scarlet fever, whooping cough, tetanus, pneumonia, gonorrhea,
tuberculosis, typhoid fever, syphilis, leprosy, meningitis and plaque.
Silver Shield
to the Rescue.
The host can also feel pressure effects produced by parasitic cysts, especially
if they are situated in the brain, spinal cord, eye, heart or bones.
Obstruction effects are produced by large ascarides migrating into and blocking
the pancreatic ducts and even the intestines.
POSSIBLE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY PARASITES AND WORMS:
ALLERGIES
ARTHRITIS
BACK PAIN
BRUXISM (GRINDING OF TEETH)
CANCER
COLITIS
FATIGUE
DIABETES
FULLNESS IN STOMACH
HEADACHES
HYPOGLYCEMIA
INDIGESTION
INSOMNIA
LUPUS
MINERAL IMBALANCE
NAUSEA
NECK PAIN
SINUS TROUBLES
THYROID IMBALANCE
VOMITING
The body is a wonderful machine and when nourished and treated properly will not
harbor these scavengers. When there are sufficient amounts of healthy bile in
the intestines and the body is free of toxins the bile contains all it's normal
required elements to keep it in a healthy working order. Then the parasites and
worms cannot continue to prosper or even to survive. When there are sufficient
amounts of healthy bile, the parasites and worms, their larvae and eggs are
neutralized and evacuated rapidly out of the body.
We need to provide an environment that will not allow scavengers to survive. We
need to live and eat the proper foods so they will not want to invade our
bodies. Parasites and worms do not like a clean body. They especially do not
like minerals. Herbs have high amounts of minerals and other elements that will
help the body eliminate them.
Sometimes people become discouraged when they try to live on a cleaner, more
wholesome diet or try to go on a cleansing purge. It is hard for them to stay on
it because of the parasites within are crying for the kind of junk foods upon
which they live and grow. It is probably wise to clean the body of the parasites
first. Since the parasites cling on to the mucus in which they live the body
cannot be made well even in a fasting or semi-fasting situation.
After eliminating the parasites a total change of diet is essential if a person
expects to maintain healthy and free of them. Try to eat large quantities of
organically grown fruits and vegetables if possible. Eat raw nuts and seeds.
BLACK WALNUT -- Rich in iodine. Kills parasites and worms, especially
effective in the head area muscles and head area.
BURDOCK and
BLACK WALNUT -- Equal parts will purge out parasites
and worms.
ECHINACEA -- Works in the blood and lymph areas. Kills parasites in the
digestive tract.
GARLIC -- Kills worms. They do not like the sulphur in onions and garlic.
HORSETAIL -- Kills parasite and worm eggs. Rich in silicon and calcium
and other minerals that parasites and worms do not like.
HYDRATED BENTONITE -- Draws parasites and worms out of the bowels and
other organs whenever they are lodged.
PAU D'ARCO -- Wonderful blood cleanser, provides a clean environment.
HERBAL COMBINATIONS FOR PARASITES AND WORMS:
PARA-CLEANSE -- a 10 day package containing Chinese Herbal Pumpkin,
Caprylic Acid and Elecampane Combination. (Do 10 days, go off 10 day, do 10 day.
If you have a bad problem you may need to do for 30 days with out a break.) It
is important to do a Colon Cleanse
first or you will get sick.
ARTEMISIA COMBINATION -- best to use after Para-Cleanse for 30 days
minimum.
HERBAL PUMPKIN -- worm and parasite eliminator, high in organic zinc.
FIGHTING FUNGUS AND PARASITES --
NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS
BEING HEALTHY FEELS!
Fungus and Parasites can feed on the following foods. Eliminating the following
foods selected will allow your body the strength to fight back. The more you
eliminate the faster they will be gone from your life! Avoid these foods:
_____Processed Sugars (Including: White Sugar (High Fructose), Corn Syrup (Corn
Sweeteners), Brown Sugar)
_____Simple sugars (Including: Honey, Molasses, Fructose, Date Sugar, Turbinado
Sugar, Maple Syrup, Mystic Lake Syrup, Sorghum, Succanat (Dried Cane Juice),
Fruit Juice Concentrate)
_____Complex Sugars (Brown Rice Syrup, Barley Malt, Fruit – 33% Complex)
Available at most health food stores in liquid or powder form. Barley Malt is 20
times sweeter than Sugar – use sparingly. Chocolate, Candy and Chocolate Chips
can be found sweetened with these items.
_____Milk Products (Including: Cheese, Sour Cream, Buttermilk, Yogurt, Cream
Cheese, Ice Cream, any packaged products containing milk- i.e.. Sauces,
dressings, dips, candy) (Butter is usually OK)
_____Yeasts (Including: Breads, including Sourdough, packaged foods like
crackers, mixes, sauces, etc., check labels first)
_____White Flour – processed (Including: Pasta, Breads, & Packaged Foods)
_____Vinegars (Including: Pickles, Mustard, Mayonnaise, Ketchup, etc.)
_____Mushrooms (which are a type of fungus)
_____Nuts – this includes nut milks, nut cheese, etc. (Only exception may be
almonds)
_____Fermented items – Soy Sauce, Malts, Wine, Beer, Alcohol, etc.
_____Packaged meats and canned items (antibiotics are contained in all packaged
and canned items)
Eat these foods: Any fruit, any vegetable (except for mushrooms), any whole
grain (except for whole wheat), any organic meat (no antibiotics, hormones or
nitrates)
Sweeteners (with Zero to low glycemic index)
• Stevia (plant from the Peruvian rainforest 40 times sweeter than sugar,
available in packets, liquid and containers)
• Xylitol (Birch Sugar – looks and tastes like sugar 1:1 ratio)
Milk Substitutes
• Tofu Moo, Rice,
Multigrain, Almond, Potato and other milks are also available – Powdered or
Liquid Milks. (Some put in added oils, and sugars - avoid those if possible.).
• Soy, rice or almond Cheeses (Mozzarella, Cheddar, Parmesan, etc)
• Soy or rice Cream Cheese and Soy or rice Sour Cream is also available.
• Rice Dream is an ice cream available with no sugar or milk. (Sweetened with
brown rice syrup.) Also try Sweet Nothings. Both available in many flavors. Soy
ice cream usually has added sugars or corn syrups – read labels.
Vinegar Substitutes
• Dressings available w/out vinegar - Annies Green Garlic Dressing, The Source,
Cardini’s Lemon Herb and Lime Dill or check for others.
• Make your own - Use cold pressed Virgin Olive Oil/Lemon Juice, add Mrs. Dash,
Spike, Herbs (fresh or dried) or other spices as desired.
• Can use to spread on bread, put over vegetables, potatoes, rice, marinate
meats, etc.
• Pickles/sauerkraut are available without vinegars, check the refrigerated
sections of health food stores – Bubbies is a good brand.
Soy Sauce: Dr. Bronnen’s sauces/seasonings and Bragg Liquid Aminos.
Pasta/Cereals/Crackers/Chips: made with Buckwheat (Soba), Rye, Jerusalem
Artichoke, Spelt, Brown Rice, Kamut, Corn, Quinoa, and other grains are
available.
Yeast Free Breads: Sprouted grain breads or Manna breads are available, as well
as sprouted grain bagels; English muffins, Ezekiel tortillas and other bread
products – many are yeast free – check the label.
SHELVA'S PARASITE PROGRAM
Shelva Christian, an NSP Area Manager, was a registered nurse
for 30-plus years. Then she discovered herbs and natural healing. Recently she
became a naturopathic doctor. She has studied and taught extensively about
Candida and parasites. Shelva's Parasite Program is a baste plan she developed
using NSP products.
FIRST:
Build your immune system with NSP products for two to four weeks before starting
your parasite program. Remember to feed the immune system during and after
cleansing, too. Select from among these NSP immune builders:
Eleuthero
Suma Combination
Thim-J
Trigger Immune
SECOND:
Take the following EVERY DAY, along with your immune builders!
Grapine with Protector —1 mg per pound of body weight
Bifidophilus Flora Force
—at least four per day at bed time
Proactazyme Plus —two to four with each meal
Trace Mineral Maintenance —four with each meal
Lymphostim Homeopathic — for at least 12 weeks
THIRD:
If you do not have an irritable colon: cleanse, using the:
Chinese Tiao He Cleanse
FOURTH:
For the first three or four months after building and cleansing, take.
Chinese Para-Cleanse
- Start one week before a full moon and continue
for a total of three weeks. Continue this for three to four months.
Or...
Take Chinese Para-Cleanse for 45 days straight, rest one week, then repeat.
FIFTH:
After taking Chinese Para-Cleanse for three or four months, take
Artemisia
Combination —four capsules with meals three times
daily—for 12 weeks.
SIXTH:
Repeat as desired
IMPORTANT PROGRAM NOTES
During the program, eliminate ALL milk and dairy products, all sugars (including
fruit), and all flesh proteins (meat).
During the program, change the products you use every six to 12 weeks. Example:
use Herbal Pumpkin,
High-Potency Garlic and
Black Walnut instead of Chinese
Para-Cleanse.
Products you may want to add into your parasite program.
Black Walnut
Herbal Pumpkin
Sage
Pau D'Arco
VS-C
High Potency Garlic
Parasites Homeopathic
Candida is always a problem in connection with parasites. Using herbs and diet
to control Candida is a must. Suggested NSP products to help with your Candida
program.
VS-C — six to 12 per day
PDA or
Proactazyme
Pantothenic Acid —1200 mg daily
Bifidophilus Flora Force
-- a daily MUST
Pau D'Arco —eight to 16 per day
(Take at least 3 hrs before the Bifidophilus Flora Force)
Thim-J —four capsules with food four times a day for two weeks
Lymphostim Homeopathic
Whole Leaf Aloe Vera Juice has been found to help soothe and build a
parasite- damaged bowel. Other supporting products are
Intestinal Soothe & Build,
Slippery Elm and
Catnip and Fennel.
Mix herbs with honey and peanut butter for children.
Keep the bowels moving every day,
Regardless of what products you are using now, Cascara Sagrada (170-8) or LBS II
(990-1) has been found to be helpful in moving the parasites out (very
important!)
Look for mucus in the stools as a sign the program is working. You may go
through a healing crisis. This is a good sign. This is a long-term program. Keep
it up, the results are worth it!
Go to my personal
NATURE'S SUNSHINE site for your Personal "Health Analysis".
You may
also check on product information, ordering and become a member for FREE.
Contact: Karen Olerich, Herb Specialist and Natural Health Consultant
Phone: (719) 495-4930
E-mail:
Karen
